Ansonia sp.

Inger, Robert F. & Stuebing, Robert B., 2009, New Species And New Records Of Bornean Frogs (Amphibia: Anura), Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57 (2), pp. 527-535 : 530

Tadpole Ansonia sp. “cruciform” (Family Bufonidae )

( Figs. 3 , 4 )

Material examined. – FMNH 272748-57.

Description. – Headbody ovoid, widest slightly behind eyes, very slightly tapered; snout broadly rounded; nares closer to eyes than to tip of snout, eye-naris equal to diameter of eye and one-third naris-snout; eyes dorsolateral; internarial subequal to interorbital. Oral disc ventral, subequal to width of body; marginal papillae confined to lateral quarters of upper lip, continuous across margin of lower lip; no inframarginal papillae on lower lip; distance from lower beak to P3 subequal to distance from P3 to margin of lip; labial tooth rows 2/3, upper rows of labial teeth longer than lower rows but not curved around ends of lower ones; beaks slender, smooth; upper beak in separated halves; half of upper beak 0.40–0.90 (median 0.58, n = 11) of gap between halves.

Spiracle opening midway between eye and end of body, tube fused to body wall.

Gut in transverse coils.

Tail tapered slightly in distal fourth to rounded tip; caudal muscle deeper than fins except in distal third.

Colouration (in preservative) black and white (cream) at all stages 27–42; a transverse orbital dark band ca. as wide as eye diameter, beginning at ventrolateral margin and extending across body; a pair of wide dark longitudinal bands from rostrum through nostrils and narrowly separated from dark orbital band; a wide dark transverse band near end of body; mid-dorsal dark band from orbital band extending through posterior band and covering caudal muscle except for a narrow strip along dorsal margin and a wider light strip along ventral margin; fins without pigment except for narrow dark marginal strip on the dorsal fin; ventral surface of body immaculate cream-colored.

Head-body lengths (HBL) are given in Table 1. Total lengths varied from 13.5 mm (stage 36) to 16.5 mm (stage 37). HBL/total 0.38–0.43 (n = 6).

These tadpoles were collected at Bukit Kana (250 m ASL) in large (13–15 m wide), rocky, clear streams, in riffles, torrents, and, in the case of one tadpole, in an open pool.

This larval form is identical to that labelled “ Ansonia cruciform” in Inger (1992). The tadpoles studied for that publication came from northern Sarawak ( Long Seniai 3°27'/ 114°57'E) and western Sabah (Mendolong 4°54'N / 115°42'E; Poring Station 6°03'N / 116°42'E; 6 km E of Tuaran 6°11'N / 116°14'E) .

Figures

Fig. 3. Ansonia sp cruciform. Dorsal view of larva. Scale in mm.

Fig. 4. Ansonia sp cruciform. Ventral view of larva. Scale in mm.